Hazelnut Espresso Martini with Caramel
There's no doubt about it. The Espresso Martini is an absolute classic cocktail that as well as being delicious, also happens to be easy to make at home. If you love Espresso Martinis and are looking for a way to take it to another level. Then I’ve got you covered with my Hazelnut Espresso Martini recipe WITH added caramel.
Brief history of the Espresso Martini
In terms of cocktails, the Espresso Martini has a very short history. Most cocktails have roots going way back to the early 1900s. So it’s refreshing to have one you would be able to class as a “Modern Classic”
So where did it come from? The Espresso Martini was first created in a London bar by bartender Dick Bradsell in 1983. It started life with the name the Vodka Espresso.
As the the story goes, a famous model (Kate Moss) walked into the bar that Dick was working behind and asked him for a drink that would “Wake me up and fuck me up” And so dick mixed up a cocktail of Vodka, Sugar syrup, 2 types of coffee liqueur and espresso, garnishing the drink with 3 coffee beans and cocktail history was made.
When asked why he came up with that particular drink, Dick said the coffee machine was right next to his bar station “it was a nightmare, there were coffee grounds everywhere so I always had coffee on my mind”.
The garnish of 3 coffee beans comes from an Italian tradition that when drinking Sambuca you have 3 coffee beans representing health, wealth and happiness.
Back then any cocktail served in a V shaped glass with a base of Vodka was considered a Martini, and so he changed the name from Vodka Espresso to the much catchier name, Espresso Martini.
Unfortunately, Dick Bradsell passed away in 2016, but he lives on in his work, as the Espresso Martini is one of the most ordered cocktails from around the world. A true classic from a true industry legend.
For more on the history of the Espresso Martini check out the classic guide here.
Hazelnut Espresso Martini
So why the hazelnut espresso martini, that’s the question.
Well if you go any bar you will likely find a bunch of similiar riffs on the Espresso Martini. Of course we have the Baileys espresso Martini and the Salted Caramel Espresso Martini, but I’ve always been a fan of nutty flavours in coffee. Particular ice coffee and Hazelnut. Which let’s be honest - a Hazelnut Ice Coffee is basically a Non-Alcoholic Hazelnut Espresso Martini.
So I’m thinking to myself let’s stick a bit of vodka in this, get a nice frothy head on it and hey presto, just like magic, we have probably the best Espresso Martini I have ever had and certainly the best Espresso Martini I’ve ever made. Which is off course, this Hazelnut Espresso Martini.
Of course I played around a little and perfected it with the following;
Homemade Hazelnut Coffee Liqueur
This Hazelnut coffee liqueur really takes this to the next level. And it’s not just good in this Hazelnut Espresso Martini, but it’s also great on it’s own over ice!
And don’t worry about it sounding difficult because believe me. It’s easy. Here’s how to make homemade hazelnut coffee liqueur;
Hazelnut Infused Coffee Liqueur recipe
Roughly chop 100 grams of hazelnuts and add to a jar with 500ml of Vodka and 100 grams of white sugar.
Seal the jar and store in a dark cool place for 2 weeks, giving the jar a shake once a day.
After 2 weeks, taste and adjust. If you want more of a hazelnut flavour, allow to infuse for another week.
Once your hazelnut liqueur is ready, strain the mixture out.
Blend 250ml of your hazelnut liqueur with 250ml of Coffee liqueur. Bottle it up and age the liqueur blend for 1 week so the flavours can mature together.
Top Tip: If you’re short on time or want the lazy version, just mix 200ml of a Hazelnut Liqueur like Frangelico with 400ml of a coffee liqueur such as Tia Maria or Kahlua. Bottle that up and you’re good to go. It also works great if you label it and gift it for people birthdays, Christmases, Anniversaries ect.
The Garnish
For the garnish, we’re going to make some pretty caramel and hazelnut spikes. These also work great for decorating cakes.
Hazelnut Caramel Spikes Recipe
Add 200 grams of white sugar to a saucepan on medium heat. After around 5 minutes the sugar will start to dissolve into caramel.
Stir the mixture until all the sugar has dissolved into a golden liquid then take off the heat.
Take some cocktail sticks or skewers and poke them through some hazelnuts.
Holding the skewer, dip your hazelnut into the caramel and leave to stand suspended in the air allowing the caramel to drip from the hazelnut. The caramel will harden whilst dripping which is how you get your caramel spike.
The perception of flavour and art
Recently, I've been putting a lot of deep thought into the connections between art and cocktails. Call it lockdown fever or spending way too much time at home, but I spent a good hour or so last night racking my brain over the thought that you can create a cocktail that causes a specific and designed emotion. Furthermore, can you get a sense of a cocktail without tasting it?
Is there a place where art and cocktails can collaborate? If you drank a cocktail whilst looking at a bright, fun and welcoming piece of art, would it taste any different then if you drank the same cocktail whilst looking at dark, mysterious, somewhat ominous art? Or, would the flavour be exactly the same. If so, what can we do with this? I'd love to experiment with this idea somehow.
Me telling you this cocktail is the cocktail coach twist on an Espresso Martini, you probably already have an idea of how it will taste. But does the look convey anything else? Any emotion or change in flavour? Do you think it will be sweet, bitter or hard-hitting?
This is something I speak a lot about in my Cocktails from scratch course which you can find here.
Anyway, long rant over, onto the recipe…
Caramel and Hazelnut Espresso Martini Recipe
So the inspiration behind the drink is really a combination of visual art and of course, the original espresso martini cocktail. But with all that said and done. At the end of the day, it’s just a f&@king delicious twist on a classic if I do say so myself.
Caramel and Hazelnut Espresso Martini
Ingredients
Instructions
- Roughly chop 100 grams of hazelnuts and add to a jar with 500ml of Vodka and 100 grams of white sugar.
- Seal the jar and store in a dark cool place for 2 weeks, giving the jar a shake once a day.
- After 2 weeks, taste and adjust. If you want more of a hazelnut flavour, allow to infuse for another week.
- Once your hazelnut liqueur is ready, strain the mixture out.
- Blend 250ml of your hazelnut liqueur with 250ml of Coffee liqueur. Bottle it up and age the liqueur blend for 1 week so the flavours can mature together.
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Shake well then fine strain into an ice cold coupe
- Garnish with hazelnut caramel spikes recipe above.
Notes
Along with this Espresso Martini twist, you can also use your Hazelnut coffee liqueur to mix in cocktails like White Russians. Other then that, try mixing a little in hot chocolates or straight on ice.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
3169.2Fat
61.96 gSat. Fat
4.76 gCarbs
242.01 gFiber
9.7 gNet carbs
232.31 gSugar
229.02 gProtein
15.48 gSodium
82.27 mgCholesterol
0 mgCalories based on cocktail + entire bottle of liqueur
The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
